It looks like 2009 is going to be a tough year for business. Well at least we are prepared for it - unlike last year which crept up on us like a thief in the night.

Whilst SA is feeling the pinch we have luckily escaped the dire financial woes facing business owners in Europe and USA.

I truly believe that you make your own luck though. And financial crisis aside, as business owners we can make plans to have a successful year. And the savvy entrepreneur is NOT pulling back but rather working smart. As small business owners we need to keep the money flowing and the sales coming in through the door.

Trick is ... how to do that. Make every opportunity and every rand count. That's what got us thinking and eventually launching the Bread and Butter network. Our previous business was Win Now - a prize draw website which delivered highly qualified leads. We proved how valuable these leads are and helped many a business grow and prosper in 2007/8. Unfortunately our backers chose to walk away from the business and left us stranded. But as soon as our restraints have expired we intend to re-launch Win Now ... so watch this space!

In the meantime, the Bread and Butter network is similarly delivering highly qualified leads to small businesses. Anyone looking for your service will give a brief description of what they need as well as their location and what their budget might be. As a member of the network, you'll receive unlimited number leads every month for a fixed monthly fee of R125. We send you your leads to your email and you can also view them in detail on the website.

Because Bread and Butter is a business network, members provide each other with leads too! We are all constantly looking for services in our business and private lives. So each member is obliged to provide one lead per month to be eligible to receive leads.

Check the site's jobs posted page to see if there are already leads waiting for you. You can try the service for free. Sign up now and see how it works for you.

It seems that I'm always looking for a great provider or tradesman [or woman] to do something. A handyman, an ISP, a copy writer, web designer, courier service, removals van or caterer ... to name a few. It's great when friends and associates can recommend someone ... but sometimes you're on your own and you just have to trust a total stranger.

I also find that often the BIG GUYS are quite arrogant and don't quite offer the service you'd expect. Like a while ago [pre Bread and Butter] ... my son cracked the sand-blasted glass door in the bathroom. I looked in the Yellow Pages for a glass provider and picked out two. One with a big expensive ad [thinking they must have been in business a while to afford such a big ad] and one small business - Landsdowne Glass in Claremont - did the most amazing job. Got a quote on the phone in minutes - R650 - and the glass was replaced in 24 hours [would have been sooner if it wasn't sand-blasted]. The other BIG-company-with-the-full-page-ad phoned me with the quote four days later! And the quote was for R1750. Go figure?!

So - in essence - that's what Bread and Butter is all about. Giving small businesses ... who don't have large budgets a chance to get more business very cost effectively. And giving them the opportunity to be rated by their clients so that the next client will trust their work.

If you need anything done ... from garden landscaping to website design to glass replacement to aircon installation ... or are looking for a professional ... chef, guitar teacher, web developer, copywriter, caterer, event manager, bookkeeper ... or want to purchase corporate clothing or promotional items or anything else you could possibly think of ... sign up and find the perfect provider for you. It's free if you're a client offering work opportunities to professionals, tradesmen [and women] and providers.

If you know of a great provider who you can recommend - invte them with our tell a friend option once you joined.